Sorry for posting this all over the forum, on various topics, but I did not want it to be missed.

Shane Simpson, MLA for Hastings-Sunrise district of Vancouver, will address the legislature about the need for stronger legislation in BC schools on Tuesday, March 27. If you would like to e-mail him your support (please!), his e-mail is:

It would be excellent if you live in BC for you to e-mail your own MLA. They usually only act on behalf of their own constituents, so the most effective way of getting a legislation, or even a provincial policy, here in BC is if every MLA heard from a member of their riding that it is an issue that effects people in their district.

Just spoke with my MLA's office, David Cubberley's office, and it is a go for introducing a bill called: "Anaphylactic Student Protection Act 2007". Based on Sabrina's Law in Ontario.

His office has asked for supporters to be there on Wednesday, March 28, at the earliest 12:45 p.m. Although, it doesn't begin till 1:30 p.m. If anyone is interested, please email me privately and let me know your name. I am to provide a list of the people who will be there, who will want to be in the gallery to hear this bill and support it.

There are some rules. I've never been in the Legislature Building before so this is all news to me: no cameras, no recorders, etc.no pens, paper, pencils, any writing materials. No chewing gum, no talking. Afterwards there will be media who will talk to the supporters there about the introduction of this bill. Please feel free. Let's be heard.

Please feel free to spread the word to other concerned parents and ask them to email me and provide me with their names if they will be there in Victoria, at the Legislature Building, on Wednesday, March 28, to support the introduction of this bill. This list of names will be provided to David Cubberley's assistant who will have the list at the main doors to check off. Your name needs to be on the list in order to go into the gallery.

What a day it was! Thank you to all who were able to make it on such short notice, and to those of you who were supportive from home. We are certainly getting somewhere. . . although it is obvious to me we still have a lot to do to convince the Government that it is time to pass the legislation.

D. Cubberley: I move that the bill be read for a first time today. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

Motion approved. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

D. Cubberley: I'm pleased to have the opportunity to introduce the Anaphylactic Student Protection Act. Anaphylaxis is a serious and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction triggered by food allergens like peanuts, seafood, egg and dairy products. To date, British Columbia has taken a voluntary approach to anaphylactic preparedness, leaving many anxious parents to blaze their own trails on these issues. The level of concern this raises is evident from the interest by guests in this chamber today. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
This bill would ensure that all B.C. schools are equally prepared to monitor anaphylactic students, avoid inadvertent triggering of anaphylactic reactions and intervene effectively should they occur. The bill requires every school board to establish and maintain an anaphylactic policy, setting out risk-reduction strategies and a mandatory regular training program. It requires every school principal to maintain a file and individual plan for each anaphylactic student. It also enables school board employees to administer or supervise student administration of medication in the event of an anaphylactic reaction. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
This bill is modelled on Sabrina's Law adopted in Ontario after Sabrina Shannon died from inadvertently consuming fries that were likely contaminated with a dairy protein, to which she was highly allergic. Severe allergic reactions happen quickly, and intervention has to be equally swift, and it cannot be left to chance. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
This bill mandates a uniform approach on a serious public health issue affecting between 1 and 2 percent of all students. It's a tangible way of improving student safety through school preparedness. The issue is non-partisan, and it's our hope that government will see the way to support the bill and respond to the needs of anaphylactic families. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
I move that this bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
Bill M210, Anaphylactic Student Protection Act, 2007, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.
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After this was read, we went into the NDP caucus room where we got to speak more with MLAs Shane Simpson and David Cubberley. Both gentlemen were really empathetic and pleased to give their time to this important issue. And, as they are presenting this as an non-partisan issue (which means they are not doing this for political party gain) they are willing to hand it over to the gov't so they can make it their own and pass the legislation. And therein lies our challenge.

After we spoke with the media (CH TV channel 6, CBC, and ? Global? TV), we waited to see if Shirley Bond was available. Unfortunately, she was otherwise committed so we met with Paige MacFarlane, Assistant Deputy Minister of Partnerships and Planning in charge of the file on anaphylaxis. She started by saying that she was willing to follow Alberta's example and set up a task force to look into what could be done. We stated that this was not necessary, and that we have the example put forward by Ontario, and now the legislation drafted by the NDP. This does not seem to be enough for them to take it on. . . .

SO -- in the interest of time, I think this is very very important that everyone with a Liberal MLA write them ASAP to tell them how important this legislation is to your family. -- if you have an NDP MLA, write her/him. But perhaps the key person in all of this is to write Shirley Bond, the Minister of Education. We need a meeting with HER -- not an assistant of any sort. No matter who in the government gets the information that this is needed, it appears that the decision is up to her. We must convince her to move forward. Her email is shirley.bond.mla@leg.bc.ca

Thank you to everyone for what you are doing to protect our kids. I will send information out as I hear it. We also have the media interested in the story, so let's figure out a way to approach them for something in print. Everything helps, so keep up the fight!

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